NY Jets Mock Draft Roundup: Who the experts are picking at No. 13

Last year, the NY Jets found a lot of success in the NFL Draft. The Jets had two top 10 picks in the draft, and they used those picks to select both eventual Rookie of the Year recipients in Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson.

With the NFL draft just over a month away, we still don't know if the 13th pick will be a part of the Aaron Rodgers deal. And if it isn't, it's unclear exactly how the Jets plan to utilize their top selection.

For now, we are going to operate as if the Jets still have the 13th pick in the draft. Let's take a look at the results from a few recent mock drafts.

Recent NY Jets mock drafts

Ian Cummings (Pro Football Network) - Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

In Ian Cummings seven-round mock draft, he has the Jets selecting offensive tackle Boderick Jones from Georgia. Jones only played 19 career collegiate games, and 15 of those came in his school's 2022 National Championship season.

Jones is considered to be one of the best offensive tackle prospects in this year's class, with the strength and raw power to become a great NFL player. The downside for Jones is that his technique is raw and that he's relatively inexperienced.

Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network) - Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

In Daniel Jeremiah's mock draft, he has the Jets picking edge rusher Nolan Smith from Georgia with the 13th pick. Smith played eight games in 2022 before he suffered a season-ending pectoral injury.

Smith was the third edge rusher taken in Jeremiah's mock draft behind Alabama's Will Anderson and Texas Tech's Tyree Wilson. At the 2023 NFL Combine, Smith ran a blazing 4.39 in the 40-yard dash and posted a 41.5-inch vertical.

The combination of Smith's speed and strength makes him an exciting pass rusher. However, Smith's small frame could make it challenging to go against bigger offensive linemen.

Chris Trapasso (CBS Sports) - Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State Buckeyes

In Chris Trapasso's mock draft, he has the Jets selecting offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. out of Ohio State. Much like Jones, Johnson is considered one of the best offensive tackles in the draft. Johnson played right guard his first two seasons in college before transitioning to left tackle last year.

Johnson has a good size and great length for the tackle position. His ability to play guard and tackle is also a plus for the Jets, but his lack of experience at left tackle could be viewed as a negative.